Population One, Act 19: The Brave One
by zoroark09
Summary: A story that takes an unexpected twist from the normal Pokemon games. Originally based on the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon games,the beginning of the story starts off with the main character Erik living as a human. Critiques are requested.


**Project 1: The brave one.**

By ~zoroark09

I stood there, resisting the temptation to fall on my knees. The last person I would _ever _expect to see in this world...  
>"You've longed for my company, I see." The soft, womanly voice belonged to none other than Amy, my girlfriend in a past life, or what it seemed to be, at least. She was my everything. And now, for some reason, she's back in human flesh, not in the form of a Pokémon, which surprised me. However, because of her 'death', she wasn't wearing any clothes at all.<br>Nova quickly became startled at the sight of a human, something she hadn't seen in months. "Erik?" She came closer to me, which, I guess I could understand why she was scared; Amy appeared out of nowhere, followed by two scorpion-like creatures.  
>These were Scorupi, easily identifiable. Little purple scorpions with dual pincers on each side of their heads. They were no more than eight inches tall.<br>"W-who is that? She talks to you like she knows you" Nova _did _have a point, but I knew for sure that this was Amy. Her smile and the way she carried herself were so unlike anyone else. As Amy regarded me with words once again, Nova became more and more concerned. Erik!" She whispered in my ear.  
>"Now, now, hush little baby." Said Amy as she produced light from the cave she came out from, all by snapping her fingers. Strange, I know. "You need to eat if you want to survive here. I have plenty of rations in the back, come now." She didn't need to persuade us any more than a simple sentence like that; Nova and I were fucking starving, though Nova probably wouldn't taste bad at all...<p>

Nova and I scarfed down _every _last bit of food that was kept as provisions, which reminded me: Amy wasn't anywhere to be seen. I wanted to thank her; as well as befriend her again in a manner not so hasteful like it was a few minutes ago.  
>Nova was crept in the corner, rubbing her stomach gently, like she was about to sit back in a recliner chair and fall asleep, which didn't surprise me when she did (except without the chair, obviously.) She was out, completely out.<p>

...That's when Amy made herself known. Apparently, she didn't go anywhere; instead, she somehow hid herself with some sort of illusionary arm gesture or something. But she was right in front of me, and that kind of freaked me out for a second, also considering the fact that the only piece of cloth she was wearing now was a tattered scarf of bright green that she wore around her waist, which didn't cover much, but I didn't stare either. I'm not _that _much of a pervert.

_Did I just say that? _

"Erik," She began. "I take it that you're able to move on? With your quest?"  
>I waited a few seconds to give her a response, trying to process what I ended up saying. "You knew about that?" Turns out that I needed to lie; I had no clue as to what she was talking about. There was too much going on at the moment, and now was the time for it to all catch up to me.<p>

Jeff's betrayal. Not sure if he was forced to bend his will or not, but the fact that he would run off (well, actually he vanished somehow) after trying to kill me, or even aiding in it? Sure, I would give him a piece of my mind… That's something that I could classify as a 'quest'.

Then there's Giratina and her desire for my death. I don't know why she wants me dead; I did nothing! But apparently, Nova knows for a fact that my now former friend 'Z' has become my enemy. Nova also knows Giratina's relationship with 'Z', leaving me a reason to (I REALLY, REALLY don't want to do this) negotiate with her; devise a way to severely harm 'Z' so that he won't recover.

That...is my quest.

Amy was addressing me as I was lost in thought. "Perfect..." Was all I heard before I drifted into a slumber that allowed me to rest, finally...

A dream. A dream of something Nova had told me during our travel to find this crappy piece of shelter. (But I _highly _doubt that there is a hotel here.)  
>The visual surroundings were exactly the same, but Nova.<br>She was not in possession of a face. As I experienced before (kind of), she reminded me of a mannequin; with slots for the eyes, nose, and mouth. It was really creepy, but I knew I couldn't wake up from this dream by frightening myself. I could not see myself, however, but all I need to pay attention to is what Nova is going to say: I know what she's gonna say. The setting was none other than the garden of flowers where I fortunately met 'I', who unexpectedly took a shine to me in a flash.  
>Nova was pacing around in the flowers, (well, floating above them) flipping and spinning a short blade in her hands, acknowledging that she was carrying a deadly weapon, not to be messed with. She just kept on walking.<br>"I've told you too many times already, your 'friend' is the reason for everything" She even hand quoted the word 'friend' as a gesture to get my attention, even though she already had it.  
>I was a little out of place in my mind, though. "I'm sorry to say, but you're sure about this? We should find a way to kill him?" I've been doing this the whole time, and I let Nova explain herself again.<br>"Erik… He brought us here….by devouring _our _world in darkness. I'm sure there were no survivors."

"We're the only two left...of our world. I feel like such a stranger in a strange land." Soon after I spoke, a powerful screech emitted from outside. I considered the Garden as a home, since it was the only safe area here. It wasn't earsplitting like it usually was, but I could still feel the living flowers shiver with fear.  
>"We've <em>got <em>to get out of here." I took in the obvious resolve seriously this time. There's no way I could live in a world that lives in fear and violence.  
>"But first…We need to take care of 'Him', to bring this world back to life." Said Nova. I learned how she knew all of this information. In fact, she told me shortly after she complemented my 'scent' when we met up again.<br>She told me that, when she was equipped with that 'leech', that machine was meant to create top-of-the-line servants and combatants for the first person their victim sees. It could be worse, but I'm not sure if it's more barbaric than that. "And in order to do that, we need to find it."

"RRRRrraAAAHHH!" A scream that sounded more like a battle cry made its way into my ears from the real world, and my dream faded away completely in less than a second. I couldn't make out who it belonged to though; my mind was going at a pace slower than time flows here." GET AWAY FROM HIM!"  
>"OVER HERE, YOU UGLY BASTARD!"<br>I almost forcefully opened my eyes, only to see blood, and to hear metal ripping against rock.  
>It was <em>everywhere <em>. Small organs and body parts were all spilled across the cold ground, with the crimson liquid giving heat to it.  
>"FUCK YOU SUPERNOVAAAA!"<br>Now that voice…I knew for a fact whom it's owner was…

"NNNOOOOOOOO!"

It was...'Z'.

After all this time, even though it didn't seem like much, Nova was right about him. He was trying to kill my friends, and, from that; he would ultimately be after me.  
>Flames were produced and blown out from another path within this cave. Metal against metal, the sound of gunfire, battle cries as loud and desperate as I could imagine…<br>There was an all-out war going on, and, as much as I wanted to participate (for I had learned of His true intentions), I simply could not.

"..." I ensued in heavy breathing. It was coming… "..."

"Z"... you fucking piece of shit." I let something else take me over, for I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to. "You try and try again to be a perfect motherfucker; ripping others apart and leaving them defenseless, all movements restricted," Even though I could vaguely think for myself, I was still able to look at my feet, and then my chest. Psychic restraints were immediately split and dissipated in thin air, no matter how dead the air was.  
>"-But now...<br>Now is the time for the oracle to give Him the favoring hand."  
>I stood up immediately. I was in control of my own body with this...power. The last time something like this happened, this talking conscience completely took me over.<p>

I realized that I was in control of myself, and (who could blame me) I stealthily and speedily headed toward the direction of a now noticeable trail of the darkest blood I have ever seen. I never did notice that the fighting was over until now.  
>The little path, now covered in blood, didn't go too in too deep. It was shallow, to say the least, and it was easy to tell because of my strengthened vision. Considering what I saw at the end of the not-so-dark cavity, I wasn't sure what I should have been feeling.<p>

Aside from all of the gore, Nova was seen, glowing as she was before. She was knelt down not even a foot from some kind of red egg or something, but even with my heightened vision, I couldn't confirm exactly what it was. However, she wasn't proud of herself, by the looks of her face. I walked forward, mysterious strength still coursing through my veins.  
>When she looked at me, she knew, somehow, that I wasn't fully myself, and she gave me a sad, depressing face, almost telling me to come to her side. She was sobbing, endlessly it seemed. I didn't argue with myself; I'm so in love with this girl.<br>She muttered to herself, but it sounded like she said "I can't believe you're gone".  
>I finally reached her, and when she saw the concern on my face, and all she did was move aside so I could see the red object with better clarity.<br>"Erik" Nova spoke up. "She spoke of you."  
>"I'm not gone yet, Nova." The object spoke! "I swear, you never change, and...and that's a good...thing."<br>I examined the object even more, and when I finally saw a small, hedgehog-like face along the opposite side I was looking at before-  
>I let out a silent gasp of surprise. "No...<p>

"'I'..." I never thought I would be praying for a friend of Him to stay alive, but She was different from Him, from Gizmo.  
>"H-Hey, Erik. Glad to see you're alright..." Obviously, she required an exertion of her remaining breath at the end of her sentence. I understood death to the fullest extent. I couldn't help but do the same thing as Nova did; kneel. I tried to find that same kind of machine that was attached to Nova before. For some reason or another, that was the first thing that came to mind.<p>

"Don't talk." I instructed, then paused. The flowers on the grassy patch on Her back were dead, either by malnourishment of health, or being ripped from Her directly and brutally. "It'll only haste your death". I regretted saying that. _A lot _. She was already starting to lose some traces of vitality.

"I-"She summoned up a small pool of blood as she gasped for breath. It rejected her, for she was now another tainted piece of art in this world. Once beautiful, now dead…  
>She continued to try and speak as clearly as she could. "I... didn't know that. Erik, Nova's hurt..." I just had to glance back at her, considering everything was going to hell, and she was my only light in this world. Nova was seen, overlooking the cliff that she and I had climbed in order to get up here. She looked as if she were going to fold her wings and dive down to the solid cold ground any second.<p>

"But listen Erik, please... Take me to the Flower Garden." I was mature, and understood what she meant. "It should prolong my life long enough for me to tell you the truth."  
>The truth? What, was Nova telling me nothing but lies, or even partially? I know the 'I' would know more about His intentions than Nova did; She was one of his friends, and I don't know <em>how many <em>he has who want the same thing as him.  
>What am I saying? I don't even know his true intentions. But then again, She can tell me this information. However, I cared more about her than anything else right now.<p>

"_ Hold me in your arms... as my final request, Erik _." That was already decided. As soon as she told me where she needed to go, I picked her up, fragile as she was. "You're so warm and...comfy." She nuzzled her cheek against my arm, like a child. I've always wanted someone to rely on me for something. Always builds my confidence up.  
>"Nova!" I addressed her with a silent bark. Luckily, she was still in my sight and didn't commit suicide like I thought she was going to. She addressed me back with a calm turn of her head, which she then tilted to her left. "She'll live." That got her hopes up big time: her eyes lit back up and her smile appeared however faint it was.<br>"Even longer if we get her to the Garden" I concluded.

"Mmm" Nova nodded in agreement. "I know _exactly _what you're talking about. You're going to be alright, Kittie."  
>Kittie...<p>

_"If I can rely on anyone, it's you two. You've proven that enough already, Nova...Erik."  
>Her name was Kittie... <em>Strange but...it fit her. She was pretty cute, after all.  
>"I think Nova should carry you down the slope, since she can fly down." I suggested.<br>Kittie dug even deeper in my arms, muffling her voice a little. _"Nothing personal Nova, but I want Erik's warmth". _  
>Nova understood entirely, and didn't hesitate to move down the hill before I could even realize it.<br>Kittie surprisingly didn't suffer much pain when she chuckled lightly as I walked outside and slowly and carefully began down the slope. _"Nova never seems to change." _  
>She was still blocking her voice with my arm, but I could have sworn I heard her say <em>"I love you, Erik. Don't forget me again."<em>


End file.
